


You're still a winner to us

by Valuable_Valewis



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: (also yeah Val has called Emilia 'E' before, Because this season has been the mother of all trolls to VB, F/M, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Gen, I felt the need to make this tbh, I needed an out for my anger, Making the Finn smile again, One Shot, and Dan, venting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 11:32:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16743184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valuable_Valewis/pseuds/Valuable_Valewis
Summary: Valtteri is feeling self doubts after not winning a race this season. Can 5 idiots help the Finn back onto the right foot?





	You're still a winner to us

**Author's Note:**

> I was so angry at this years F1 season earlier and I had no way to channel it. Somehow I ended up writing something over 2000 words in a few hours. I guess I was rather passionate.

 

 

 

Valtteri pulled up into parc ferme, still and unknown as his teammate, Seb and Fernando did doughnuts, much alike how he had done with Lewis and Felipe last year 'This just sums up my season doesn't it?' The Finn bitterly thought, clambering out of his W09 for the last time that season. The Finn took one last look at the celebrating trio and scampered off from the grid, head low, not even bothering with his helmet.

* * *

On the way to the drivers room he caught sight of Emilia rushing up to him, her mystical like eyes that never failed to draw him in, were wide and full of worry "are you okay, did something happen?" She fretted as Valtteri shook his head "It's nothing. A bad race you know how it is." He explained calmly, voice slightly muffled by the crash helmet as Emillia shook her head and drew her man closer for a tight hug "Don't worry about it. Would you like some time just to think it over?" She asked kindly as Valtteri nodded his head meeting hers, forehead to forehead (well helmet) "Yes, thank you." He requested as Emilia softly laughed and smiled "Come back when you have had time to think it over." The younger Finn added softly as her husband slowly pulled back "Thank you, E, I will." He promised before walking off with a wave.

* * *

The Finn finally reached his driver room with no-nonsense. Why would there be? The media had no need to speak to someone in a championship winning car without a win. Valtteri sighed, sliding down the door frame and glanced up at the tv which was on the F1 channel. The podium consisted of Lewis smiling and grinning as Max and Seb doused him in rose-water. The scene then cut to Toto and the crew preparing for team celebrations for one last time "I never deserved to be there anyway." Valtteri spoke aloud, humourlessly. As time rolled on the commentators and Toto were having a laugh, discussing how great Lewis was, that Ocon would be a great test driver and finally him. For one sentence as if Toto was reluctant to speak about him "He was a great team player." The boss would announce before promptly moving on. It also seemed as if the media loved to go on and on about how he was the first Mercedes driver since Schumacher to never of gotten a win in the team. The Finn could almost feel tears of frustration building up in his eyes, it's not his fault that lady luck turned against him. It wasn't his fault that Russia had happened. And yet they were treating him as some over-rated noob at the top of the F1 charts. Valtteri raised a lone finger and swiped at the edges of his eyes. He would not cry. Not again. Not after Baku. And yet, it was so hard to keep emotions under check, to keep a cool Façade that had slowly been falling since Russia. People noticed, Lewis noticed the lack of sparkle and mischief in his wonderfully coloured globes, they had noticed the fake and the sad smiles and how his voice and responses were becoming more and more Kimi like. There was nothing he could do though, frustration from every result continued to pile up. Fifth, after fifth, after fifth. It kept smashing into the quickly plastered wall that Valtteri had put up between himself and his true feelings at heart. Those were private, for him and Emilia. They had already broken once, and would never happen again. The Finn finally took off his crash helmet and balaclava and looked at the asymmetrical design deeply before his eyes caught glance of his fastest lap award trophy "No one remembers an F1 driver just for their speed." He reminded himself before they darted to the Tv where they were recapping Lewis' season. Russia came up. And the wall fell. Why was he raised to be kind and follow the rules. Following the rules without risks got you nowhere in this sport. Was it really just him? Was he too much of a coward to do something to Seb in Bahrain like Daniel said he could if he were in his shoes. Was he actually the team's pet. Something to have around for a while and then chuck out? Mercedes was nothing like Williams and yet he thought both were his homes, maybe the former never was and he was just a scape goat while they waited for an Ocon-like character to take his seat. 

Shakily, the Finn stood up, anger cold and chilling in his veins as the Finn mercilessly threw the crash helmet into the wall with more force than necessary "It's useless. You're useless." He insulted through gritted teeth, eyes alight in fury as he kicked the fallen helmet away, as if the trusty safety device was rubbish of some kind 'You can't even Win, your worthless.' He thought 'Lewis never liked you, it was all a game so that he could win your trust so you couldn't be angry when he took your win.' He continued to think before placing his hands to his ears as if to block out the thoughts "Shut.up." He gritted to himself, trying to think the opposite but nothing came. What if that was right. What if Lewis was only the F1 equivalent of friend's with benefits. The rest of the F1 team had warned him how no one got on with him outside a F1 car, and yet he had thought he was special when they seemed to connect 'You see. You are not worthy of the seat.' The thoughts flooded in. "Shut up. Shut up." He spoke louder and more frantically to himself as he shut his eyes, willing away the tears that were threatening to fall as Valtteri slid back down, curling into a ball as if to fend off the outside world, trying to ignore the doubts and thoughts that clogged his mind.

* * *

Meanwhile, Lewis had a spare moment and caught sight of Emilia who was, strangely, waving and calling for him. Rushing over he noticed the worry in her gaze "Is there something you needed?" He questioned, feeling not to use formalities as the pair had met before "Yes, Can you please do me a favour?" She questioned as Lewis nodded "sure, what is it?" He asked "I'm worried for Valtteri, he said he would come back when he has had time to think, but it's been longer than he usually would take, could you maybe find him and talk to him?" She inquired as Lewis nodded "Sure, you don't mind if I bring along some people do you?" He finished as Emilia shook her head "Good, I'll be back soon as possible, don't you worry." 

* * *

After a moment of gathering, Lewis was searching around the paddock for Valtteri with Seb, Kimi, Daniel and Max. Lewis walked past Valtteri's driver room and thought nothing of it until he heard a small, whimper like sound coming from the other side. The Brit gestured for the other four to quieten as the Brit knocked "Val, are you in there?" He asked, gaining no response, a stupid question since he knew someone was in there. "I'm coming in." he announced, opening the door and walking in, gesturing for the others to quietly follow. The sight made Lewis' heart jump to his throat, in the corner in a tight ball, was Valtteri, form jumping every so often with the hic of a broken and quiet sob. Seb and Daniel exchanged worried glances as Max looked on in confusion, while Kimi glanced at his compatriot with a slight glance of worry. Lewis slowly sat next to the Finn, gently touching his shoulder and frowning as the other flinched away "N...No, D...don't touch me." The Finn demanded brokenly "What's got you like this?" The Briton asked softly, hand hovering above the other's arm unsure whether to touch it again "Yeah mate, was it something we did?" Daniel added softly as the younger Finn shook his head briefly "P...please just leave, celebrate with your teams one last time." Valtteri responded quietly "Without you?" Lewis questioned as the Finn in question nodded. "No way, besides Emilia is out there worried for you, I can't just leave without you!" Lewis exclaimed. This seemed to draw the younger's attention "She was? Why would anyone be worried for me, especially a team pet..." He trailed off as Kimi sighed and glanced at Sebastian for a moment "Your not a pet Valtteri." The elder of the two Finn's stated "I know how hard it is to give up a position to another, especially for a win." He sympathised "But I can tell you Ferrari did not view me and Seb as Pet and owner but team mates. Like you and Lewis." He explained, wisely and unusually long and thoughtful as he curled closer to Sebastian "Kimi is right. I don't agree with him giving me wins but at the end of the day no matter what the team says about us, we are still friends and team mates, even if Kimi is ditching me for Sauber." He added, smiling cheekily at Kimi towards the end who simply patted his back "You see Val. Your not a pet, not mine, not Mercedes. I'm sorry if some of Toto's or the Media's comments make it seem so but they have good intentions it just comes out wrong." Lewis assured the Finn, gently laying his hand on his arm, sighing in relief when he didn't flinch away. Max looked away almost guiltily "Look, I'm sorry for the slow puncture." He announced, not daring to meet the others eyes as Daniel wrapped an arm around the Dutch man "Woah, Val, he must be real sorry to apologise to you. He never does that." Daniel looked at the slightly younger driver with awe as Max hit his arm, flushing slightly "Shut up." He announced in an unimpressed manner as Daniel snickered "You deserved at least one win Mate though, I don't know who's unluckier, you or me." Daniel joked "You see Valtteri, whatever is the true cause of this is just futile. You don't need to hide anything from us, including emotions, unlike Kimi." Seb added again, poking the Finn gaining a grunt of disinterest from Kimi. Valtteri looked up with blank eyes as Lewis and Seb shared a look, grinning. Sebastian whispered to Kimi for a moment before the Finn nodded. Daniel and Max looked at the trio in curiosity as they stacked strong boxes of different heights next to each over. Soon after Lewis smirked and whispered to the Red Bull pair who nodded. Lewis gently pulled the Finn to his feet "What are you...?" Valtteri asked, slightly breathless after the fit from earlier. Lewis only smirked and pulled the Finn onto the middle and tallest box before taking a step on the box to the Finn's right, while seb took the one to his right. "Why are we on boxes?" Valtteri asked, confused as Lewis sushed him quietly as the Finnish nation anthem played "Why is..." Valtteri didn't finish as Lewis quietened him with a finger to his lips. Straight after the German anthem joined it, making Valtteri raise a brow. "And now to present the first place trophy, Mr Max Verstappen, Red bull driver and the main reason why Christian has so many headaches." A voice that sounded suspiciously like Daniel raised up as Max walked into the Frame, glaring in what was assumed to be Daniel's direction before facing Valtteri with a trophy that looked suspiciously like his fastest laps one. Valtteri took the trophy, finally gaining the gist of the goings on, shaking Max's hand before raising the trophy, gaining twin claps from the Brit and German. Soon after 3 cans of what looked to be an energy drink were thrown at them "And now... Time for the Champaign!" The announcer (Daniel) explained as the trio opened the cans, and drinking and spraying the small cans contents. Once they were done Valtteri softly smiled at all five of them "So how was that, winner." Seb grinned, nudging him in the side gently "Well, we made a mess of the room, but thank you. I feel better now." The Finn explained, sparkle back in his eye which was missing which made Daniel, Seb and Lewis beam and Kimi and Max smile softly, glad they could somehow help the Finn. "Go on winner. Go take your win and yourself to your patiently waiting wife. I bet Emilia is worried sick." Lewis grinned as Valtteri nodded "I will go see her now. Thank you, all of you." He smiled walking out of the room.

"Well we made him happy" Daniel brightly smiled and all 4 agreed "I think he needed just a little bit of reasurance that he wasn't alone or useless this year." Seb responded as he packed up the boxes "Who's going to tidy up?" Max inquired as Lewis and Daniel piped up "Dibs not me." In sync "Bwoah. Not me. Kids and Minttu want me back by 8" Kimi explained as Max and Seb met each over dead in the eye until Seb sighed "I guess I'll do it." And Max thanked him. A ding of a bell alerted lewis who pulled out his phone. A private message? Opening it he grinned, looking at the instagram message from Valtteri's account "Got my old Val back. Thank you." Lewis read aloud, clearly from Emilia as all five boys high-fived each over. Seb began to clean up, smiling. It may be a pain now but it was worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed


End file.
